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ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #71908
Title: SUPERCRITICAL FLUID EXTRACTION OF AFLATOXIN M1 FROM BEEF LIVER

Author
item Taylor, Scott
item King, Jerry
item Greer, Judith
item Richard, John

Submitted to: Journal of Food Protection
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/5/1996
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Removal of toxic chemicals via extraction from animal tissues is a critical step in the analysis of meats for the presence of these chemicals. Traditionally, this has been achieved by using copious amounts of organic solvent on relatively large samples of animal tissue, i.e., beef liver. Extraction with high pressure carbon dioxide (supercritical fluid carbon dioxide) is an alternative extraction method for the removal of ingested toxins, such as aflatoxin M1. Carbon dioxide under high pressure can rapidly permeate the sample matrix (beef liver) and facilitate removal of aflatoxin from the beef liver. In addition, it is an environmentally benign solvent and can be used to replace large amounts of toxic solvents used in older extraction methodology. This study shows that a combination of high pressure carbon dioxide with some organic solvent is equivalent to an organic solvent for the removal of aflatoxin M1 from liver tissue. The described technique can be integrated into an analytical method that can be used to monitor aflatoxins in meat without contributing to environmental pollution.

Technical Abstract: Supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) and a pressurized fluid extraction process were applied for the removal of aflatoxin M1 from beef liver samples. Various pressures, temperatures, quantity of supercritical carbon dioxide, and organic modifiers were investigated to optimize the extraction methods. Organic modifier was found to be essential for quantitative recovery of aflatoxin M1. Extracts were cleaned up by solid phase extraction and were analyzed via high performance liquid chromatography coupled with fluorescence detection of the trifluoroacetic acid derivative. Solvent modified carbon dioxide SFE achieved recoveries comparable to an AOAC-approved method involving organic solvent extraction. SFE allowed the traditional amounts of sample and organic solvent to be reduced. Also, supercritical fluid extraction permitted the use of carbon dioxide modified with acetonitrile:methanol (2:1) to replace methylene chloride as the organic solvent for the extraction.